Pale Honey – Youth review

Grungey, synthy, understated rock, with more than a flicker or beach pop persevering through – that the best way to describe the wonder of music that up and coming Swedish duo, Pale Honey, make. The minimalistic rock outfit called Gothenburg home, and are set to release their self-titled debut album on May 4th. Their debut single, Youth (which you can check out below), has been premiered on Stereogum, already receiving critical acclaim and the promise of big things to come.

If you’re struggling to get a feel of the sound Pale Honey make, think of a highly stripped back version of Alvvays, with only the faintest hint of Generationals-esque pop under it all. What starts off as a mere hum of potential swells into a track pulsing with zesty synthesisers and captivating vocal work. For a first offering, the song is incredibly developed promises big things for the pair.

Tuva Lodmark (guitar / vocals) and Nelly Daltrey (drums) spoke of the track, saying: “Youth started to take shape one summer that we spent locked up, sweating in our new rehearsal room. The playful guitar riff set the pace for the drums and the vibe was clear to us – the laid back sound gave the feeling of controlled coolness, which we later wanted to match the lyrics with. We recorded the song in Paris with our producer Anders Lagerfors and from there the song grew into the more wild, attitude-filled song, still keeping the simple playfulness. Being inspired by our ultimate decision – to start daring to make our own music and just go for it no matter what (probably paired with the usual personal awakening that every Swedish summer brings after the cold, dark winter) the lyrics are about letting go, getting over things and just keep going with your head held up high and starting to earn your bruises.”